… Urges stakeholders’ intervention
EMMANUEL NLEWEDUM, Port Harcourt
The Port Harcourt Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has expressed its readiness to embark on a fresh strike action in solidarity with the national body, over alleged failure of the Federal Government to address long-standing demands of the Union.
ASUU’s long-standing demands include renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement, the release of revitalisation funds, payment of earned academic allowances and withheld salaries, settlement of promotion arrears, and payment of outstanding third-party deductions such as check-off dues and cooperative contributions, among others.
The Zonal Coordinator, Comrade Uzoma Darlington Chima who was in the company of the union’s vice president and chairmen of all branches under the zone, dropped the hint during a press conference held over the weekend in Port Harcourt.
Comrade Chima expressed disappointment over the government’s lack of commitment and sincerity in resolving outstanding disagreements with the ASUU, despite previous actions by the union, including a recent two-week warning strike in October 2025.
He called on key stakeholders, including traditional rulers, community leaders, students, parents and civil society organisations to pressure the Federal Government to urgently conclude the long-delayed renegotiation of its agreement with the union before the expiration of the ultimatum, warning that failure of the government could leave the union with no other choice than a full-scale strike action.
He said, “You would recall that our union declared a two-week warning strike with effect from 13th October, 2025, due to the nonchalant attitude of the Federal Government towards concluding the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN-ASUU Agreement.
“However, the two- week warning strike was suspended after an emergency meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of our Union on 21st October 2025, following renewed engagements with the Federal Government and respect for different stakeholders including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), our students, their parents, the media and other well meaning Nigerians, who showed massive support and mediated while the warning strike lasted.
“NEC considered that the suspension of the strike would allow for a conducive environment for further engagements with the Federal Government towards the conclusion of the renegotiation within a period of one month.
However, there is cause to worry about the position of the federal government reciprocating the gesture of our union in suspending the warning strike.”
Chima echoed ASUU’s National Executive Committee (NEC) rejection of what the union termed a paltry salary increment offer, insisting that it falls far short of addressing the hardship faced by lecturers or mitigating the escalating brain drain that continues to threaten university education in Nigeria.
“At the just concluded NEC meeting held at Taraba State University, Jalingo, from 8th to 9th November 2025, the committee reviewed progress made since the suspension of the warning strike about three weeks ago and rejected the paltry salary increment offer, which neither alleviates the suffering of our members nor guarantees an end to the brain drain that remains a major threat to university education in Nigeria.
“The Nigerian university lecturers are the worst paid in Africa, with a professor earning less than four hundred US Dollars ($400) monthly.
Our members have remained on these poor salary structures for the past sixteen years due to the Federal Government’s unwillingness to renegotiate the existing agreement.”
The Union leader accused the government of deliberately undermining the renegotiation process, noting that available data contradicts claims that delays are due to paucity of funds or economic constraints.
“It is regrettable that government functionaries are grandstanding and undermining the negotiation process through subtle misrepresentation of offers and agreements.
The part-payment of promotion arrears dating back to 2017, and the release of third-party deductions made from our members’ salaries some years ago, must not be paraded as the substantive issues under negotiation.
“The current framing of the government’s implementation does not reflect reality.
This insincerity is unhealthy for the ongoing renegotiation. Government’s objective should not be to win the narrative but to sincerely resolve the outstanding issues.”
“This demand is not outrageous. The surest way to safeguard Nigeria’s future is to invest in education, which remains the bedrock of national development.
It is shocking that poor academic remuneration and the deteriorating state of education do not appear to be matters of serious concern to the government.
“Contrary to government claims of revenue shortages, Chima pointed to data from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), insisting that both federal and state governments have recorded significant revenue growth.
“For example, in 2022, states received a total of N3.92 trillion, while in 2024 the figure rose to N5.81 trillion. Similarly, the Federal Government received N3.42 trillion in 2022 and N4.65 trillion in 2024. These figures represent massive increases in revenue inflows at both tiers of government.
“It is, therefore, political will or the lack of it and not economic constraints that has hindered the completion of this renegotiation process, as the revenue profile clearly shows.”
Chima, however, stressed that the few remaining days before the expiration of the one-month ultimatum issued by the union must be used judiciously to reach a holistic resolution, particularly an upward review of the poor remuneration of academic staff in public universities.
Prominent among several ASUU leaders present at the press conference were: Austen Sado, ASUU National Vice President; Prof. Omeh Ngwoke, Chairperson, University of Port Harcourt; Sylva Ligeiaziba, Chairperson, Bayelsa Medical University; Donny Sigah, Chairperson, University of Africa Toru-Orua, Bayelsa State; Emmanuel Davies, Chairperson, Rivers State University (RSU) and Oyinkepreye Lucky Bebeteidoh, Chairperson, Niger Delta University (NDU).
Others include; Ekaette Ekpo, Chairperson, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Port Harcourt; Bruno Ikuli, Chairperson, Federal University Otuoke (FUO) and Stanley Ogoun, the immediate past Port Harcourt Zonal Coordinator of ASUU.
The union rejected the government’s paltry salary increment offer, citing poor remuneration and brain drain, and accused the government of undermining the negotiation process and misrepresenting offers.
For a better society
Follow us across our platforms:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/championnewsonline/
Facebook – https://web.facebook.com/championnewsonline
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/champion-newspapers-limited/
https://x.com/championnewsng/
You can also like and comment on our YouTube videos.
https://youtu.be/QIBfD1tT80w?si=R4Qf3so2LxYu3GC2
